1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document presentation device for presenting documents at for example meetings or similar. More particularly the present invention relates to a document presentation device in which images of materials such as original documents are taken by an imaging unit and the image is displayed on a screen, display, or similar, and in particular to a document presentation device with an improved method of housing each part.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years document presentation devices have been used instead of overhead projectors (OHP) for projecting images of documents onto a screen, so that the audience at a presentation can refer to the projected image while the contents of the document is being explained.
For example, the document presentation device 99 shown in FIG. 1 includes a document base 90 forming the base of the device. The document base 90 includes a document loading surface 91 on which documents M are loaded. A display 93 is attached to the rear edge of the document base 90 via a hinge mechanism 92 so that the display 93 can freely open and close relative to the document base 90. In this way the angle of elevation of the display 93 can be adjusted manually as appropriate. In the open state the screen of the display 93 faces forward, and is visually checked by the presenter. Also, an arm 94 is included in the left hand corner of the rear of the document base 90. The arm 94 includes a support 94a set in the upright direction, and an approximately L-shaped horizontal member 94b on the top end of the support 94a whose end is positioned above the approximate center of the document base 91. On the end of the horizontal member 94b which is positioned virtually centrally over the document loading surface 91 an imaging unit 95 such as a lens or CCD camera is mounted (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-23253).
In a document presentation device 99 as described above, an image of a document M loaded on the document loading surface 91 is taken by the imaging unit 95, and the image is displayed on a screen (omitted in the figure) or on the display 93. The presenter (not shown on the drawings) can make a presentation while visually checking the image of the document M displayed on the display 93, by displaying a pointer image on the image of the document M in order to point out a desired location in the document image, and displaying alongside with the image of the document (M), supporting information that comments on the document M or an image.
Also, there are many features on projection devices and document presentation devices that allow a presentation to be effectively carried out. For example, in the presentation system using the document presentation device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-23359, the movement of a pointing mark (for example, a pen provided with a lit LED) operated by the presenter is converted into movement of a pointing image displayed on the screen of the display device. In this way by operating the pointing mark the pointing image is moved to the desired location on the displayed image.
Many types of technique have been proposed to reduce the storage space of document presentation devices. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H8-84275, in the document presentation device 99, the horizontal member 94b is folded with respect to the support 94a, the support 94a is tilted onto the document loading surface 91, and the display 93 is tilted onto the document loading surface 91. In the storage condition of the document presentation device 99, the storage space can be made small, and the document presentation device 91 can be carried by holding a grip provided on a vertical surface of the document loading surface 91.
However, in the storage condition of the document presentation device 99, the display 93 and the arm 94 project from the document loading surface 91, and these projections look bad. Also, when the document presentation device 99 is being carried, if the projections are positioned towards the side of the body of the person carrying the document presentation device 99, the projections impinge on the body of the person, making the document presentation device 99 difficult to carry. On the other hand, if the projections are positioned on the opposite side of the document presentation device 99 to the body of the person, there is a danger that the projections will impact the corner of a desk or similar, causing damage to the document presentation device 99. Furthermore, the document loading surface 91 is permanently fixed to the top surface of the document base 90, so there is a limit to size reduction of the document presentation device 99.